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Penang Island
Penang Island, Malaysia's most populous island, is located off the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It lends its name to the state of Penang, which also consists of a strip of the mainland peninsula called Seberang Perai. Its capital city of [[George Town, Penang|'George Town']] is located at the northeastern tip of the island. Founded by Captain Francis Light in 1786, Penang Island was the first British crown colony in Southeast Asia. George Town's historic city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. The island city is one of Malaysia's most developed and economically important cities, serving as Malaysia's Silicon Valley as well as a popular tourist destination. It has earned acclaims by the likes of The Guardian, CNN, Los Angeles Times and Forbes, which also listed George Town as one of the best budget cities to retire in. George Town was also ranked 8th. in the ECA International's list of most liveable cities in Asia. Additionally, Penang Island is Malaysia's centre of medical tourism and the northern commercial centre. Its heterogeneous population has Malaysia's third highest Human Development Index, and is highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and religion. A native of Penang Island is colloquially known as a Penangite (in English) or a Penang lang (in Penang Hokkien). History Founding of Penang Penang Island was founded on 11 August 1786 by Captain Francis Light, a trader for the British East India Company, as a base for the company in the Malay Peninsula. He had arrived at the then uninhabited island on 17 July 1786. Fort Cornwallis was later built on the spot where he landed. Light then obtained the island from the Sultan of Kedah, took formal possession of the island "in the name of His Britannic Majesty, King George III and the Honourable East India Company", and founded a settlement at the northeastern point of the island. On 12 August 1786, Light renamed the island the Prince of Wales Island in honour of the heir to the British throne, as well as naming the new settlement [[George Town, Penang|'George Town']] in honour of King George III. The Prince of Wales namesake was in use until after 1867, when the island was renamed Penang Island. George Town was Britain's first settlement in Southeast Asia, as well as the first crown colony in Malaya. Light chose to colonise Penang Island due to its strategic location at the northern entrance to the Strait of Malacca, a vital shipping route between British India and Qing China. its northern location also enabled the British to check French and Dutch expansion in Southeast Asia. The colonisation of Penang Island also marked the beginning of more than a century of British involvement in Malaya. Light established George Town as a free port to entice traders away from Dutch ports in the region. Trade in Penang soon grew exponentially - incoming ships and boats to Penang rose from 85 in 1786 to 3,569 in 1802. Light also encouraged immigrants by firing silver dollars from his ship's cannons into the jungle and promising them as much land as they could clear. By 1792, just six years after Light first arrived on the island, the population had grown from under 100 to over 10,000. Unbeknownst to the Sultan of Kedah, Light had acted without the approval of the British East India Company when he promised military protection and then concealed the facts of the agreement from both parties. When the company failed to aid Kedah against a Siamese invasion, the Sultan tried to retake the island in 1790. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the Sultan was forced to cede the island to the company for an annual honorarium of 6,000 Spanish dollars. This was later increased to 10,000 dollars, with the cession of Province Wellesley (now Seberang Perai) to the company in 1800. Seberang Perai remains part of the state of Penang to this day; as a symbolic gesture, the Penang state government still pays Kedah RM10,000 annually. . Fort Cornwallis can be clearly seen at the seafront.]] Colonial Penang In 1796 Penang was made a penal settlement when 700 convicts were transferred from the Andaman Islands. This began a long-standing practice of employing Indian convict workers as low-cost labourers. Many worked on Penang's streets, draining swamps and clearing forests, building drainage ditches, and installing the piping for clean water. Main roads were extended from George Town into the fertile cultivated spice farms further inland. Indeed, convict labour was key to Penang's successful colonisation; many were later employed in the civil service, military and as private servants to British officials and private individuals. Penang's trade was driven by the demand in pepper, spices, Indian piece goods, betel nut, tin, opium and rice. Betel nut can be found abundantly on the island, while tin was channelled from the Malay Peninsula. However, it was the spice production that the British colonial authorities saw the greatest potential. Therefore, they sought to expand Penang Island's spice industry by encouraging Chinese settlers to set up spice farms inland. This agricultural trade enabled the British to cover Penang's administrative expenses. in 1900.]] In 1826, George Town was made the capital of the newly established Straits Settlements, which also consisted of Singapore and Malacca. However, the capital was moved to Singapore in 1832 due to Singapore's booming trade. In spite of this, Penang retained a secondary importance after Singapore, serving as an important feeder to Singapore - funnelling the exports meant for global shipping lines by ocean-going ships which had bypassed other regional ports. In 1867, the Penang Riots erupted in George Town for nine days, as rival Chinese secret societies battled each other over commercial interests. The rioting was only quelled after the British authorities, under newly appointed lieutenant-governor Col. Edward Anson, called in sepoy reinforcements from Singapore. Trade was expanded greatly with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. By that time, rubber cultivation was becoming an important industry on mainland Malay Peninsula. Rubber and tin were sent to Singapore and Penang to be traded and shipped to the United Kingdom, where the Industrial Revolution generated increasing demands for these commodities. . The last Jew in Penang passed away in 2011, bringing an end to Penang's Jewish community.]] Due to its prosperity, Penang Island also attracted immigrants from far and wide, turning the island into a ethnic and religious melting pot. Notably, Jews, Armenians and Germans made their presence felt in Penang. There was a sizeable Jewish enclave in George Town and a financially-influential German merchant community, while the Armenians left their legacy in the form of one of the most famous hotels in the city, the Eastern & Oriental Hotel. , was founded by the Sarkies brothers, who also established the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.]] At the start of the 20th. century, Penang Island, with a large Chinese community, was an obvious choice for Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary campaign to overthrow the Qing dynasty which ruled China. His frequent visits culminated in the 1910 Penang conference which funded the victorious Wuchang Uprising that overthrew the Manchu government. World Wars During World War I, Penang Island was mostly untouched, save for the 1914 Battle of Penang. In the battle, the Imperial German Navy cruiser SMS Emden surreptitiously sailed to the island, and sank the Russian cruiser Zhemchug and the French destroyer Mousquet off its coast. At the start of World War II, Penang Island suffered devastating Japanese aerial bombardments from 11 December 1941. As casualties mounted from the indiscriminate air raids, the British authorities decided to silently evacuate Penang's European population, leaving the rest of Penang's population to their fates. British forces also started to withdraw from Penang, abandoning the Batu Maung fort, and declared George Town an open city. The defenceless island was left in the hands of a State Committee which had to subdue a three-day civil unrest. The British withdrawal and the covert evacuation of Europeans caused much disillusionment and injury to the British prestige and image of invincibility. Historians judge that "the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia came not at Singapore, but at Penang". Penang finally fell to the invading Imperial Japanese Army on 19 December 1941. The Japanese occupation was marked by widespread fear, hunger and the Sook Ching massacres which targeted the local Chinese. Especially feared was the Japanese military police Kempeitai and its network of informants. The Japanese also took Malay and Chinese girls as comfort women. The island also served as a U-boat base for the Monsun boats in the Indian Ocean for Japan's ally, Nazi Germany during the War. The United States Army's Twentieth Air Force began bombing raids on the island in 1944. The destruction of the Penang Secretariat building by Allied bombers in the final months of the occupation caused the loss of the greater part of the British and Japanese records concerning the island, causing enormous difficulties to compile a comprehensive history of Penang. In addition, the Battle of the Malacca Strait took place off Penang Island in May 1945, in which the Royal Navy sank a Imperial Japanese Navy warship. Following Japanese surrender in the War, on 21 August 1945 the Penang Shimbun published the statement of capitulation issued by the Emperor of Japan. Under Operation Zipper, a British party reached Penang Island on 1 September. After a meeting between the Commander-in-Chief of the British East Indies Fleet and Japanese Rear-Admiral Uzumi on 2 September, a detachment of the Royal Marines occupied the island on 3 September. A formal ceremony to signify British repossession of Penang took place on Swettenham Pier on 5 September 1945. Independence Two successive British military governors under the British Military Administration took over the administration of Penang from 1945 to 1946. Following the humiliating British defeat at the hands of the Japanese during World War II, the British sense of invincibility were permanently lost, and for most locals, the days of the British Empire were numbered. In 1946, the Straits Settlements were dissolved, with Sir Shenton Thomas being the last governor. The British then included Penang, but excluded Singapore, into a consolidated federation of Malayan states. The Malayan Union was formed in 1946, only to be replaced by the Federation of Malaya two years later due to Malay opposition. However, the absorption of the former British crown colony of Penang into the vast Malay heartland was opposed by some Penangites. Between 1948 and 1951, the Penang Secessionist Movement attempted to preclude Penang's merger with Malaya, but was ultimately voted down by British officials. Another attempt by the secessionists to join Penang with Singapore as a crown colony also failed. The movement was spearheaded by, among others, the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Penang Indian Chamber of Commerce, and the Penang Clerical and Administrative Staff Union. .]] On 1 January 1957, George Town was declared a city by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, becoming the first city in the Federation of Malaya, and the only city in Malaysia (other than Singapore between 1963 and 1965) until 1972, when Kuala Lumpur was granted city status. Penang, as a state in the Federation of Malaya, gained independence in 1957, and subsequently became a member state of Malaysia in 1963. Post Independence Since independence, the Penang state government has been headed by the Chief Minister of Penang. For the first two decades, the Chief Minister was Wong Pow Nee of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a component party of the Alliance (now Barisan Nasional) ruling coalition. In the 1969 elections, Penang was captured by the then opposition party, the Malaysian People's Movement Party (Gerakan). Party founder, Dr. Lim Chong Eu subsequently became the second Chief Minister. However, the 1969 race riots ensued and as an emergency measure, the state government was taken over by the National Operations Council. Civilian rule was restored in 1971 and the following year, Gerakan joined the Alliance, returning Penang to the ruling coalition for the next 36 years. Since the first days of British rule, George Town had been a free port. This free port status was suddenly revoked in 1969, causing massive unemployment and loss of trade, as well as setting the stage for George Town's decline. The Malaysian federal government then began to focus on developing Port Klang and Kuala Lumpur, directing economic development through its control over investment in communication, transport, education and health. Consequently, Kuala Lumpur began replacing George Town as Malaysia's financial hub. Younger residents in George Town moved out into the suburbs. To resolve Penang's economic woes, the then Chief Minister Dr. Lim Chong Eu created the Bayan Lepas Free industrial Zone at the southeastern part of Penang Island between George Town and the Penang International Airport. By offering pioneer tax status, foreign investors and multinational electronic giants began setting up factories and assembly plants, paving the way for Penang to be known as the Silicon Valley of the East. In 1974, the KOMTAR project, intended to revitalise George Town, was launched. Penang's tallest skyscraper was completed in 1988, but it failed to revitalise George Town and came at great costs - the destruction of historical shophouses, schools and temples. In 1976, the George Town City Council was merged with the Penang Rural District Council to form the Penang Island Municipal Council. This merger led to the controversy over George Town's city status. The Malaysian federal government no longer regarded George Town as a city. Nevertheless, most Penangites contended that George Town remains a city to this day. On the other hand, several federal ordinances and acts refer to the City of George Town, such as the City of George Town Ordinance 1957. According to Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) trustee and lawyer, Datuk Anwar Fazal, George Town "legally has been and is still a city because the City of George Town Ordinance 1957 had not been repealed". The Penang Bridge linking Penang Island with mainland Peninsular Malaysia was opened for use in 1985 by the then Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, who drove across the bridge in the first Malaysian-made car, the Proton Saga. It was then the longest bridge in Southeast Asia. .]] The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 hit the northern coasts of Penang Island, claiming 52 lives. Renaissance The repeal of the Rent Control Act, which had protected George Town's pre-war architecture, in 2001, led to the dilapidation of the city centre and uncontrolled development, raising concerns over the preservation of George Town's heritage. These led to increased conservation efforts and a media campaign in 2004 to restore George Town's glory. In 2008, George Town was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing, due to its "unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia". Also in 2008, an alliance of opposition parties, led by the Democratic Action Party (DAP), won the Penang state elections, taking over the Penang state government and wiping Gerakan out of existence. Under the fourth Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, Penang has been able to significantly slash its state debt and has been as one of Malaysia's most attractive investment destinations. After decades of neglect by the ruling Barisan Nasional, George Town's appeal as a clean, artistic, historical city has also been growing. The Second Penang Bridge, currently the longest bridge in Southeast Asia, was opened for use in 2014. This longer bridge is a more southerly entrance into Penang Island, linking Batu Maung near its southeastern tip with the mainland peninsula. Whilst George Town had been declared a city by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, Penang Island was also awarded city status by the Malaysian federal government in 2015. Government and Politics Penang Island City Council At present, the Penang Island City Council administers the entire Penang Island. Its responsibilities include urban planning, heritage preservation, public health, sanitation, waste management, traffic management, environmental protection and infrastructure maintenance. The Penang Island City Council is the successor of the Municipal Council of George Town, which was Malaysia's first ever local authority. Between 1957 and 1972, George Town was also the only city in Malaysia (other than Singapore between 1963 and 1965). By 1965, the George Town City Council was Malaysia's richest local authority. The Penang state government appoints the councillors. The Mayor of Penang Island, who is assisted by a secretary, is appointed for two years, while the 24 councillors are each appointed for one-year terms in office. List of Mayors Mayors of George Town Between 1 January 1957 and 1966, George Town was led by three successive mayors. Mayors of Penang Island In 1966, the functions of the George Town City Council were taken over by the then Chief Minister of Penang, Wong Pow Nee. Penang would not have another mayor until 2015. Penang State Government .]] Since 2008, the Penang state government has been controlled by an alliance of opposition parties, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the People's Justice Party (PKR). On the island, the DAP controls 12 seats and the PKR has four seats. The remaining three seats are held by UMNO, the ruling party in the Malaysian federal government. There has been political tension between the Penang state government and the Malaysian federal government. Since its defeats in the 2008 and 2013 elections, the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional has been intensifying its bias towards Penang, notably by denying financial assistance for the Penang Transport Master Plan and the exclusion of Penang in Malaysia's special cities list which promised greater budget allocation. List of Penang Island representatives in the Penang State Legislative Assembly. Malaysian Federal Parliamentary Representation Penang Island is represented with six seats in the Malaysian federal Parliament. List of George Town representatives in the Malaysian federal Parliament. Geography Topography Penang Island is Malaysia's fourth largest island, with an area of 295km2. It is also Malaysia's most populous island and has the highest population density of all Malaysian islands. As of 2012, the Penang Institute estimated 738,500 people living within the 295km2 of land. The highly urbanised and industrialised island can be distinguished into five areas. * Its capital city of George Town is sited on the island's northeastern flat promontory; the dense urban area is the administrative, cultural and economic centre of Penang. * The southeast, which covers the town of Bayan Lepas, the Free Industrial Zone and the Penang International Airport, was once a swampy mangrove and rice fields. More townships and residential areas here are being developed. * The central hill ranges serve as the island city's vital green lung. Penang Hill has a height of 735 metres, the highest point on Penang Island. The neighbouring suburbs of Air Itam and Paya Terubong are located in the valley between the hill ranges. * The thin strip of beaches to the north, covering Tanjung Tokong, Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringhi suburbs, is lined with hotels, resorts and luxurious residences. * The sparsely populated southwest is relatively less developed, consisting of scenic countryside, fishing villages, fruit orchards and mangroves. The town of Balik Pulau gains fame from its particularly fragrant durians. Due to Penang Island's small size and its mostly hilly features, land reclamation has been conducted to prepare suitable low-lying land for more development, such as at Tanjung Tokong, Jelutong and Queensbay. One of the negative consequences of land reclamation is the change in sea currents around the island; this also led to the current siltation of the popular Gurney Drive promenade. Climate Penang Island features a tropical rainforest climate, under the Köppen climate classification. Temperatures in Penang remain constant throughout any given year, between 22°C and 32°C. Shielded from the northeastern monsoon by the mountains of the Malay Peninsula, the driest months are between December and February. The wettest period is usually from September to November; frequent thunderstorms can be expected in these months. The island sees on average around 2,550 mm (100.4 in) of precipitation annually. .]] Like most of Malaysia and Singapore, Penang also faces the annual haze between July and October, due to agricultural fires in Indonesia. The Bayan Lepas Regional Meteorological Office serves as the main weather forecast facility for northern Malaysia. Outlying islets There are less than 10 islets surrounding Penang Island. The largest of all is Pulau Jerejak, just off the southeastern coast of Penang Island. It was here that Captain Francis Light first set foot before landing on Penang Island. There was a leper asylum on Pulau Jerejak; it later served as a maximum-security penal colony. Now, the lushly-forested island is a tourist attraction, hosting a spa resort. Other islets include Pulau Aman, Pulau Betong, Pulau Kendi and Pulau Rimau. Greater Penang Conurbation The Greater Penang Conurbation is the second largest metropolitan area in Malaysia after Greater Kuala Lumpur, with a population of approximately 2.5 million. The metropolitan area is centred in George Town and covers the entire state of Penang, along with the surrounding areas in the neighbouring state of Kedah. Other than Penang Island, among the areas covered under the conurbation are as follows. On mainland Seberang Perai: * Butterworth * Bukit Mertajam * Nibong Tebal * Kepala Batas * Permatang Pauh In Kedah : * Sungai Petani * Kulim * Bandar Baharu Economy *All monetary figures are quoted in Malaysian Ringgit (RM), unless stated. Penang has Malaysia's third largest economy and is one of the top investment destinations (13% of Malaysia's total investments between 2008 and 2013), as well as having one of Malaysia's highest GDP per capita (RM 42,251 as of 2015). The two sectors which contributed the most to Penang's GDP are manufacturing, which includes the electronics and semiconductor industries which gave Penang its '''Silicon Valley of the East moniker, and services, which has seen rapid growth due to the island's booming tourism industry. Unemployment in Penang was at a historic low of 1.2% by 2015 and remains consistently lower than the rest of Malaysia. In addition, Penang's Gini coefficient (which measures income inequality, with lower scores denoting lower inequality) was reduced to 0.37 in 2012, lower than the national average of 0.43. Manufacturing As the Silicon Valley of the East, Penang's manufacturing sector contributed as much as 48.3% of Penang's GDP in 2013. Machinery and transport equipment also accounted for 71% of Penang's total exports for the first nine months of 2014. The Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone is home to the factories and assembly plants of many multinational firms specialising in electronics and engineering. Among them are Bosch, Intel, Dell, Motorola, Agilent, Seagate, Osram and Plexus Corporation. In 2011, Penang received manufacturing investments of up to RM 9.1 billion, the highest in Malaysia. In fact, the increase in total investments into Penang enabled the Penang state government under the DAP to slash public debt by 95%, from RM 630 million in 2008 to RM 30 million by 2012. American media firm, Bloomberg, described Penang's growth as Malaysia's "biggest economic success" despite the Malaysian federal government's bias in favour of Johor and Sarawak, which are Barisan Nasional strongholds. Services Penang's services sector not only contributed 47.4% of Penang's GDP in 2013, it is expected to be Penang's top GDP-contributing sector in the next few years, overtaking the manufacturing industry. Almost two-thirds of Penang's workforce are employed in this sector. The rapid growth of the services industry is largely driven by Penang Island's reputation as a major tourism destination in the region. Medical tourism, wholesale and retail trade, accommodation, food and beverages, as well as shared services and outsourcing are among the thriving sub-sectors which fueled Penang's service industry. Medical Tourism .]] George Town has been Malaysia's centre of medical tourism, receiving at least half of medical tourist arrivals in Malaysia. An estimated 1,000 tourists travel to Penang every day for medical treatment, generating about 70% of Malaysia's medical tourism revenue. Most tourists come from neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Singapore. Penang's several private hospitals, such as the Penang Adventist Hospital and the Lam Wah Ee Hospital, offer treatments conducted by well-trained health professionals at more affordable costs. Wholesale and Retail Trade 's most famous shopping malls.]] Penang Island is the main shopping destination for northern Malaysia. George Town has a unique retail scene, with centuries-old shophouses still operating alongside flea markets and numerous modern shopping malls in the city. Elsewhere on the island, hypermarkets and supermarkets also serve the suburban population alongside shopping malls. Others The establishment of hotels and budget hostels has been picking up pace in George Town, along with boutique cafes and restaurants in the heritage zone. This provided for a more vibrant accommodation, and food and beverages (F&B) sub-sectors. Banking .]] George Town was once the centre of banking of Malaysia at a time when Kuala Lumpur was still a small outpost. The oldest bank in Malaysia, Standard Chartered Bank (then the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China) opened its doors in 1875 to cater to the financial requirements of early European traders. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, now known as HSBC, opened its first branch in George Town in 1885. This was followed by the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1888. Today, George Town remains the banking hub of northern Malaysia, with branches of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, United Overseas Bank, Citibank and Bank of China, as well as Malaysian banks such as Bank Negara Malaysia (the Malaysian central bank), Public Bank, Maybank, Ambank and CIMB. Many banks still maintain their local headquarters at Beach Street, the historic commercial centre of George Town. Agriculture The agricultural sector on Penang Island is very small and includes fisheries, aquaculture, and new emerging industries such as ornamental fish and floriculture. Balik Pulau is home to the only surviving paddy field on Penang Island. But perhaps the most famous of Penang's agricultural produces are durians from Balik Pulau and nutmegs. Tourism Penang Island has always been a popular tourist destination, both domestically and internationally. As of 2014, Penang attracted 6.84 million tourists, and counts among its tourists Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Queen Elizabeth II and Lee Kuan Yew. In recent years, Penang Island has been acclaimed internationally. Among some of the plaudits are as follows. *The Los Angeles Times has placed Penang island as one of the 16 must-see destinations of 2016, citing the city's most historic architecture and its lively food scene. *The Lonely Planet has named George Town as one of the top 10 cities for travel in 2016. Previously in 2014, Robin Barton of the Lonely Planet listed George Town as the top culinary destination in the world. *Forbes has named George Town the best budget tourist destination for 2016. In 2014, Forbes had also listed George Town as one of the best budget cities for retirement. *CNN has placed George Town as one of Asia's top street food cities. *The British newspaper, The Guardian had also listed Penang as a top 10 destination in 2014. Historical Fort Cornwallis is one of the most historical landmarks in George Town. Built on the site where Captain Francis Light had first landed on Penang Island, the star-shaped fort overlooking the sea was intended to defend the city from invasion. Some of the original structures built over a century ago are still standing, such as a chapel, prison cells, ammunitions storage area, a harbour light once used to signal incoming ships, the original flagstaff and several old bronze cannons. Nearby, the Jubilee Clock Tower is another prominent landmark within the heritage zone. Built to commemorate Queen Victoria's 1897 Diamond Jubilee, the clock tower is slightly tilted as a result of bombings during World War II. George Town's city centre has been accorded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status since 2008, due to its "unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia". The enclave consists of colonial architecture built during the heyday or British rule over the Straits Settlements, such as the baroque Penang City Hall, Chinese shophouses with their ubiquitous five foot ways and places of worship of various religions. The Sun Yat-sen Museum was once the site where Sun Yat-sen himself formulated plans to overthrow the Qing dynasty of China. Once a British Army bastion, the Penang War Museum at the southeastern tip of Penang Island serves as a chilling reminder of the horrors of World War II. It was originally designed to defend against an invasion of Penang from the sea. It turned out to be a disastrous mistake, as the Imperial Japanese Army advanced on land down the Malay Peninsula instead. Armed with Bofors anti-aircraft guns and light machine guns, British and Commonwealth troops nevertheless abandoned the fort without a fight, withdrawing ahead of the Japanese landing on Penang Island. Heritage & Culture .]] The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was built in the 1880s by Chinese master craftsmen. The famous indigo-blue Chinese Courtyard House in George Town was the residence of Chinese Consul and businessman Cheong Fatt Tze, and was built with 38 rooms, 5 granite-paved courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 windows. Its impressive hybrid Chinese-European architecture aside, it possesses a rare collection of sculptures, carvings, tapestries and other antiques. Also known as the Temple of Supreme Bliss, Kek Lok Si is said to be the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. Its main draw is the striking seven-storey Pagoda of Rama VI (Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas) and 30.2m bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. The Pinang Peranakan Mansion is the former residence and office of Chinese Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee, and incorporates various Chinese architecture. Here you can find more than 1,000 antiques and collectibles. .]] Creative forms of street art can be found throughout George Town. The trend was started by Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic, who began painting a series of wall murals in various parts of the city in 2012. They now stand as Penang's celebrated cultural landmarks, with '''Children on a Bicycle being one of the most photographed spots in the city. Since then, the arts scene has flourished, with the addition of humourous wrought iron caricatures and an exhibition centre at the former Hin Bus Depot. In addition, Penang plays host to a unique form of Chingay parade. Popular throughout Malaysia and Singapore, Penang's version of Chingay parade contains the unique giant flag-balancing performance. Food As Malaysia's food capital, Penang Island is frequented by locals, Malaysians and foreign tourists alike. Penang cuisine reflects the city's history as a cultural melting pot, offering a diverse and exotic mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, European and Thai influences. Local Penangites have differing views on where to sample the best of any particular Penang food. Some of the more famous of Penang dishes can be found within George Town, such as Penang Road's famous chendol, Gurney Drive's seafood snacks, Air Itam's asam laksa and Pulau Tikus's Hokkien mee. Within the heritage zone, Kimberley Street, in particular, comes alive at night, offering a wide variety of street food. Several tau sar pneah shops can also be found throughout the city, selling delectable bean paste biscuits. Meanwhile, the best durians are said to originate in Balik Pulau. Penang was recognised as having the Best Street Food in Asia by the Time magazine in 2004, citing that "nowhere else can such great tasting food be so cheap". In 2014, Penang was named the top food destination worldwide by Robin Barton of the Lonely Planet. According to Barton, "its food reflects the intermingling of the many cultures that arrived after it was set up as a trading port in 1786, from Malays to Indians, Acehenese to Chinese, Burmese to Thais. State capital Georgetown is its culinary epicentre." The CNN has also listed Penang as one of Asia's 10 greatest street food cities. Beaches The most popular beaches are located at the northern coast of Penang Island, which is also the northwestern edge of George Town. The contiguous beaches of Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang are home to George Town's famed hotel and resort belt. Shopping Penang Island serves as the main shopping destination in northern Malaysia. While most of the major shopping malls are located within George Town, some modern shopping malls can be found to the south as well, such as Queensbay Mall and Bukit Jambul Complex. Within George Town, traditional bazaars such as the Chowrasta Market and Campbell Street, and makeshift open-air night markets known as pasar malam, were the precursors to today's shopping malls. They offer goods ranging from modern electronics and textiles to foodstuffs and local produce. Traditional Chinese and European shophouses are also still active, offering tourists a unique retail experience with an old world charm. Several traditional shophouses have also been refurbished into trendy boutique cafes, restaurants and budget hostels, adding to the city's vibe.